Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake Strikes Northwestern China, USGS Says

A strong earthquake rattled northwest China early Wednesday, causing power outages in several residential communities while initial assessments from local authorities indicate no casualties.

The Chinese Earthquake Networks Center measured the quake at magnitude 5.6, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude of 5.9.

The temblor struck at 5:36 a.m. local time in Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province.

China’s Earthquake Networks Center reported the epicenter about 15 miles from Da Qaidam at a depth of about 6 miles.  The USGS placed the earthquake’s depth at 6.2 miles and noted its epicenter was slightly west of the location reported by Chinese authorities.

Strong shaking was reported in the area, with initial inspections by authorities finding that communications, water service, and roads were operating normally, but power outages affected parts of several residential communities, according to state media.

The epicenter was in a high-elevation, sparsely populated region, with Yiligebuergasan village lying within about 3 miles of the epicenter. Da Qaidam is the nearest town within about 15 miles of the epicenter, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The actual number of casualties from such events may be much higher as the Chinese regime routinely suppresses or alters information.

USGS subsequently recorded several magnitude-5 or stronger earthquakes near the June epicenter. They included magnitude 5.1, 5.4, and 5.0 earthquakes later on June 16; a magnitude 5.2 earthquake on June 17; another magnitude 5.2 on June 23; and a magnitude 5.3 on July 1 local time.

The area has recorded 116 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or stronger within about 124 miles of the epicenter over the past five years. The largest was the magnitude 6.3 earthquake that struck about 4 miles away in June this year.